Page 32 of Love You Already

“Sweetheart, you don't have to justify anything to me. I only have one thing to say to you.” He pauses, his gaze taking me in to make sure I'm listening. “Promise me you won't break that boy’s heart.”

“Daddy! I thought you were supposed to be on my side.”

He raises his hands in surrender. “I’m always on your side. Know that. But this man of yours is something special. They don't make them like him anymore. I can see the way he looked at you that first morning. I've heard him talk about you. Anytime your name pops up, he can't stop what he's doing quick enough to listen. He's smitten. Maybe more than that. And I worry your lack of feelings back will break him.”

“I'm not... It's not...”

Again, I'm lost for words. I don't know what to say to my daddy about this situation. There's more to it than just Lachlan and me. There are feelings I haven't thought about or explored in forever. Feelings about being a wife and mother. Hopes and dreams I didn't think would ever come true.

Everyone tends to forget that I never had a mother. Sure, I had Bridgett, my sweet older sister who was there when I needed her. Things like the birds and the bees and when I felt my first heartbreak when Jimmy McCoy kissed Sara Stewart the night he was supposed to take me out on a date.

But she was never meant to be my mother. And the loss was still there. It was a gaping wound that I strapped Band-Aids to anytime I thought of all the things my mother would miss. As I remembered all the times I would need her advice and not have it.

This is definitely one of those times.

“You don't have to tell me anything, sweetheart. I just wanted to say something before he got here.” Daddy leaves me sitting on the couch to go to the kitchen. I follow him, leaving my blanket on the couch since I don't have any reason to hide from my family and it's no longer freezing. If anything, I'm hot with the indecision pouring through me. That and Daddy turns up the AC during the daytime.

I take his offered cup of coffee right as I hear the front door open. Turning to Sad, I see him grin seconds before Lachlan struts right into the kitchen.

“Good morning, Do — Oh, hey. Um.” He runs his hand over the back of his neck as he looks to Daddy for some help.

With his eyes turned away, I let my eyes roam over him. He's in boots. Real ones, not the fake kind that people wear to country concerts or for selfies on the internet. His jeans are well worn, and the flannel he's got over his white t-shirt hugs every muscle perfectly. His jaw isn't as clean cut as I usually see, and his hair is all kinds of rumpled. Like he rolled out of bed, slid on his boots, and hustled over here to help.

“Lachlan,” I call out to get his attention. When he looks my way, I smile softly to let him see I'm ok. Inside I'm a riot of feelings, but I refuse to make this awkward anymore. “What brings you to the ranch this early?”

He picks up the sarcasm in my voice. His confusion turns to a heart-stopping grin in the blink of an eye. I have to put my hand on the counter to catch myself.

“Well, darling,” he drawls with a fake accent. “I'm here to help Donnie and the guys out. I came out here earlier in the week and they put me to work. I found it just about as effective as my home workouts right now. Figured I could make myself useful during my vacation.”

“Mhm. I see.” I sip the coffee to hide my grin.

“Yep. That's all I'm doing here. What are you doing up here? Last I was told, you got your own house down the way.” His eyes rake over me.

It's then I realize I'm in nothing more than my pajamas. My rather revealing pajamas. I feel the heat on my cheeks rise as a blush works through me.

Sure, my family is used to seeing me run around in whatever. That's no big deal. But Lachlan —

I mean, the man has seen me butt ass naked. Like he's had his face and hands in every nook and cranny I've got, yet I'm embarrassed by the tiny strawberries dotting the white silk two-piece set.

“Um... I'm just going to go home. Thanks for the coffee, Daddy.” I give him a kiss on the cheek as I hand over my cup of coffee.

I hightail it out of the back door. Lachlan calls after me, but I pay him no mind. There's nothing he can say to make me stay any longer. I saw what I needed to.

My daddy was right. Lachlan is a good guy. He's the type to be voluntold to work at a ranch, something I suspect he's never done, and he doesn't complain once. In fact, he justifies coming back by saying it will replace his workouts. He's a good guy with a huge heart.

And I'm the woman who hurt him. The woman he wants by his side forever. The woman too scared to look to the future to picture a life where happily ever after exists.

CHAPTER 16

I THINK YOU TWO HAVE A SHOT AT SOMETHING REAL.

Lachlan

“Did I say something?” I ask Donnie as I watch Rose flee the house. I called after her, but she didn't look back. My Ace raced towards a bike, hopped right on, and tore off down the lane.

Donnie, who quickly refused to let me call him Mr. Wright anymore earlier this week, shakes his head. “You didn't do a thing wrong. That's just Rosie hiding. She's going to try to bury her head in the sand while she figures stuff out. Can I give you a bit of advice?”

“I'd love for you to. Please.” I try not to sound desperate. I fail.